PEC’s summary of the 2022 Virginia General Assembly session.
Maps & Resources
![Nora Seilheimer joins The Piedmont Environmental Council as Director of Advancement](https://www.pecva.org/wp-content/uploads/Nora_Seilheimer_headshot_credit_Stephanie_Gross-683x1024.jpg)
Nora Seilheimer joins The Piedmont Environmental Council as Director of Advancement
Piedmont Environmental Council President Chris Miller is pleased to announce the appointment of Nora Seilheimer to the role of director of advancement.
Spring 2022 Piedmont View
The spring 2022 edition of the Piedmont View features 2021 land conservation totals, conservation stories in Loudoun and Orange, a General Assembly session recap, details about gold mining at Wilderness Crossing, new staff profiles, and more!
![Video: Prescribed Burn at the Piedmont Memorial Overlook](https://www.pecva.org/wp-content/uploads/2x1-small-overlook_prescribed_burn_drone_3.4.22_credit_hugh_kenny-29-1024x512.jpg)
Video: Prescribed Burn at the Piedmont Memorial Overlook
As part of our habitat management efforts at the Piedmont Memorial Overlook near Sky Meadows State Park, the Virginia Department of Forestry (VDOF) conducted a prescribed burn on four acres of our native warm-season grass meadow.
![Conservation in 2021 bring regional conserved land totals to 25 percent](https://www.pecva.org/wp-content/uploads/pec-new-conservation-easements-map-2021-1325x-663x1024.jpeg)
Conservation in 2021 bring regional conserved land totals to 25 percent
In 2021, private landowners partnered with various land trusts and conservation agencies to permanently protect an additional 6,474 acres of land in Albemarle, Clarke, Culpeper, Fauquier, Greene, Loudoun, Madison, Orange and Rappahannock counties.
Free Easement Packet for Landowners
PEC has assembled an easement packet filled with important information about conservation easements — including a sample PEC easement and guidelines on how to proceed with donating an easement.
![Conservation Easement Stories: Dr. Sam Ahdoot](https://www.pecva.org/wp-content/uploads/Sam-Ahdoot-1x1-small-Portrait.jpg)
Conservation Easement Stories: Dr. Sam Ahdoot
Dr. Sam Ahdoot placed her land in Rappahannock County under a conservation easement with The Piedmont Environmental Council in 2019. The easement was designed to have many public benefits, including the protection of clean water, restoration of native plant and wildlife habitat, and the scenic views from Shenandoah National Park and F.T. Valley Road.
![2021 at the Community Farm](https://www.pecva.org/wp-content/uploads/Website-2x1-small-1024x512.jpg)
2021 at the Community Farm
2021 was our best year yet at the Community Farm at Roundabout Meadows! Thanks to the help of more than 750 volunteers over the course of the year, we were able to donate approximately 35,000 pounds of fresh produce to our friends at Loudoun Hunger Relief!
![Wilderness Crossing: New Residential Development or Potential Superfund Site?](https://www.pecva.org/wp-content/uploads/wilderness_crosssing_orange_county_credit_hugh_Kenny-3-of-15-1024x487.jpg)
Wilderness Crossing: New Residential Development or Potential Superfund Site?
In November 2021, PEC learned that of the five formally-named gold mine sites located on the proposed Wilderness Crossing residential development, none of them have been closed and cleaned up – a process called “reclamation.”
![Climate Scientist Katharine Hayhoe Shares Hope for the Holidays](https://www.pecva.org/wp-content/uploads/khayhoe_book_signing_credit_sophia_chapin_PEC7-1024x819.jpg)
Climate Scientist Katharine Hayhoe Shares Hope for the Holidays
Over 70 people, from Fairfax to Winchester, gathered at the Blue Valley Vineyard and Winery in Delaplane on Saturday, Dec. 18 to hear from Dr. Katharine Hayhoe, renowned climate scientist and author of the recently published book Saving Us.